


A Covert Affair

by allsoulsnight



Category: Killing Eve (TV 2018)
Genre: Eve speaks some French, F/F, I MEAN THERE IS TENSION, I named characters after members of ABBA don't judge me, Lighthearted and Funny, Post Season 3, Role Reversal, Slightly kinky if you squint, Smut, Still flirty and sexy tho, Totally not sponsored by IKEA, Villanelle embodies subtle gay panic, WHEN I SAY TENSION, Who let me write smut?, very light knifeplay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:27:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25721317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allsoulsnight/pseuds/allsoulsnight
Summary: Eve and Villanelle are forced to switch roles for a mission.
Relationships: Eve Polastri/Villanelle | Oksana Astankova
Comments: 18
Kudos: 212





	1. You look cute, by the way.

**Author's Note:**

> For Georgi, may you never tire of me.

Eve was getting used to operating under a different alias. Today she was saddled with Jane Greenwood, a name that totally didn't scream: "Hey! This is 100% my real given name and not a made up secret agent name!" Right? 

Villanelle always got the more interesting names. Eve caught a glance at her passport as they boarded the plane at the airport and rolled her eyes when she read her companion's name as Amelia DuBlanc.

"Seriously? DuBlanc?" Eve scoffed under her breath as they boarded, out of earshot from others.

"You know that's my last name." Villanelle replied with a shake of her head and a warm greeting to the flight attendant whose forced toothy smile she mimicked effortlessly. Amelia DuBlanc's french accent was as posh as she looked. "We've been colleagues forever, June."

"Jane."

"Besides," Villanelle said as she slid into the window seat, crossed her legs, and flipped up the shade with glee. "All you'd have to say to become _Madam_ DuBlanc is 'I do', you know." She'd come up with the idea of a fake marriage proposal during their last mission to which Eve vehemently shot down on the grounds of drawing too much attention; the blush that found its way to her cheeks was not lost on Villanelle then and now.

"Piss off." Eve rolled her eyes as she reached over and slid the shade back down, a hint of a smile at the corner of her lips. Villanelle's mouth hung open in faux offense as she slid it back up. Eve began to busy herself by reading through the notes she'd taken earlier that day to distract her from the terror that was always take off. Even in first class, a plane was still a plane. Eve did notice however that Villanelle lowered the shade for her when they started moving. Villanelle might have been smug but at least she was thoughtful. 

MI6 had briefed the pair on their current assignment as they had for the last three they’d completed successfully without (too much) trouble. Intel trips, as Carolyn described them, often required both women to work together to gather information with two other MI6 agents trailing them for support along the way. Eve would support Villanelle as she got close to the target and extracted what information they sought after before gracefully "getting the hell out of there" as Eve often hissed into the headset. 

What possessed Carolyn’s change of heart to bring both of them back into the fold was beyond Eve. She was becoming attuned to the effects of Carolyn’s omnipotent whiplash: Find Villanelle, give it up. Sure- Hire Villanelle, give it up. Avenge Kenny’s death and uncover The Twelve, give it up. The very fact that she’d called Eve less than an hour after murdering their best lead into The Twelve in front of her (and interrupting the most poignant moment of her new life thus far) with yet again another change in heart didn’t surprise her. Carolyn was obviously beginning to develop a sense of trust in the pair again as they were the only two assigned for this particular mission.

_“If you two run into trouble, which I trust you won’t, there is a fail-safe set in place--”_

_“Wait, I’m sorry,” Eve had interrupted during Carolyn’s briefing, surprised. "You two? It’s just us?”_

_“Yes, Eve.” Carolyn blankly stared over her glasses. “We won’t be there to hold your hand if that’s what you’re expecting.”_

_“No,” Eve had tried to cover, doing her best not to think of Rome. Reopening old wounds was not something she wanted and that was the last mission that they’d been on by themselves. Well, save for Hugo… All of that was water under the (Tower) bridge, now, even if they’d never really talked about it. Eve exhaled. “No need for hand holding. We’re capable.”_

_“As I was saying if you two run into trouble when you are on the floor, the fail safe is encoded in the camera you will be carrying, Eve.”_

_“Camera?” Eve interrupted. “I’ll be on the convention floor as well this time?”_

_This time the blank stare had an air of irritation laced within it. “Perhaps if you’d read the file assigned to you before our briefing meeting you wouldn’t have so many foolish questions, Eve.”_

_“Yeah, Eve.” Villanelle chimed in without missing a beat. “Did you even read the mission briefing they gave us?”_

_“Of course. I did.” Eve lied and promptly ignored the amused look on Villanelle’s face. She’d taken to memorizing Villanelle’s files over her own, knowing that Villanelle would never take the time to review them. Her last two briefing files had been so similar, she assumed that this would follow suit. Big mistake._

_“Yes, you will be undercover alongside Villanelle this time. Any other questions before I continue?” Carolyn asked._

_Eve just shook her head._

This trip had them tracking two targets at a high end technology convention in Stockholm, Sweden. They had been strategically placed in separate rooms at two completely different Hotels flanking the convention center. As always, MI6 supplied everything that they would need: passports, money, audio equipment, suitcases, and even whatever wardrobe was appropriate. Villanelle had easily embellished the allotted budget for wardrobe before their first mission. Then it happened for the second...And now the third. Honestly, it was a wonder that the excess hadn't started to come out of their paychecks yet.

The pair had been given credentials to get themselves into the opening day after party as a licensed photographer and a wealthy investor. As they arrived at the first address given to the driver, a lush Hotel with marble pillars, their accommodations would also reflect as such; much to Eve’s dismay.

“This must be me!” Villanelle offered, gracefully exiting the car. The driver retrieved her suitcase from the back as Villanelle leaned into Eve's open window. “Belle vue, oui?” She asked in French.

“Remember we only have a little bit to--” Eve began to repeat for the seventh time.

“-change before the party starts.” Villanelle just cocked her head and gave her a knowing smile. “I know, _Jane_. We went over this. Relax.” 

“Well, I never know if you actually listen to me.” Eve said as she raised her hand to the window to roll it back up. Villanelle caught her hand as she did.

"I always do. See you soon." Villanelle said and gave her hand a light squeeze, her voice faltered to her normal Russian for a split second. The exchange made Eve’s chest tighten. Ever since the ballroom, these softer moments were beginning to happen more frequently and in their typical fashion, they hadn’t talked about it. 

"See you soon." Her own reply sounded softer than she intended, too. 

Not ten minutes later Eve arrived at her Hotel which was much less extravagant and much busier. She caught herself anxiously tapping her foot as she waited in line at the concierge desk for longer than she’d hoped. Eve couldn’t help but look irritated as she passed over her passport and her booking information to a lanky woman with a sour expression.

“Mrs. Greenwood, I have you in one room, one night?” 

“Yes."

"Just one moment as I confirm your booking

"I'm in a bit of a hurry if you don't mind.” Eve said without batting an eye. 

"Of course." The woman gave a fake smile, blinked twice, and turned to the screen again. She promptly began to take her sweet time clicking around the screen. 

MI6 was always thorough with their identification documents but, knowing her luck, Eve always expected something to go awry. Perhaps she should have been more polite with the woman just in case. 

"All set. Your room is on the fourth floor and to the left." The woman said as she looked up from her computer and placed a key card on the desk. 

"Th--" Eve went to grab the key card but was cut off. 

"Complimentary breakfast is served from 6am to 10am." She grabbed the key and slid it into a small envelope, setting it down again.

"Thank--" Eve tried to grab her key again but the woman put her hand over it again. 

"Oh! One more thing!" The woman grabbed a pamphlet and placed it under the envelope. 

"Yes?"

"Enjoy your brief one night stay with us." When the room key finally slid towards her, Eve grumbled a short “thanks” and continued on with a sigh of relief as she drug her suitcase to the elevator. Either her shoulder was extra tense today from the stress or her suitcase was heavier than she remembered it to be. 

Eve found her room at the very end of the Hotel's long hallway, grumbling under her breath the entire way. The woman at the concierge desk must have done this on purpose. With a quick sweep for bugs, which Villanelle and MI6 had taught her to locate separately, Eve pulled the heavy suitcase onto the bed and unzipped it.

"Fuck." She breathed as she gaped at the contents. 

The space in which her comfortable yet chic navy's and grey's were nestled now was filled to the brim with an assortment of colors and prints uncharacteristic to Eve's planned undercover persona. Her camera was nowhere to be found, instead there were countless pairs of shoes, dresses, and silky undergarments. 

"No, no, no, no..." Eve breathed as she quickly searched for the inside pocket and pulled out the lanyard, name placard, and VIP membership pass that was tucked away within the inside pocket of the suitcase; they belonged to one, Amelia DuBlanc. 

Quickly, she grabbed her phone from her coat pocket. She dialed the number assigned to Villanelle’s burner and paced as the dial tone played.

“I’m sorry, but the number you are trying to reach--” 

Eve hung up and dialed again.

“I’m sorry, but the number--”

“Damn it!” She cursed and threw her phone down on the bed next to the suitcase then quickly snatched it up again to look at the time. It was too late to switch suitcases with Villanelle before they were set to be on the convention floor in 40 minutes. "This day couldn't get any worse!" She took a deep breath and paced around the room for a moment. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and ran to the washroom to splash water on her face.

There was no time, she would have to make something in this suitcase work. Eve formulated some semblance of a plan as she started sifting through the suitcase, hoping Villanelle was wise enough to roll with the punches. 

Villanelle was taller than Eve, by a long shot, and that fact was mocking her. A red dress she grabbed initially pooled at her feet in excess, another had straps that she couldn’t make heads or tails of, and the only pair of slacks she found were to be paired with a frilly pink shirt that was too ostentatious for anyone but Villanelle to wear anyway. The last dress Eve found appeared smaller than the others so she held it up to her body and looked in the mirror. It would have to do. 

Also inside of the suitcase, Eve found thigh high pantyhose and a garter belt to match. She couldn’t stop her mind from wandering as she bypassed them to slip on a dark blue lace bralette; she opted out of the matching thong for a pair of black panties also lace. Did Villanelle really wear this under her dresses? Was she always ready to impress or did she wear it for herself? The material of the undergarments was soft and smooth in her hands. She imagined the garter belts slipping over smooth pale skin for a moment before her phone rang. 

Eve answered the phone in a huff not even looking at the caller id. “Damn it, Villanelle. I told you--” 

“Eve, it’s Carolyn.”

“Carolyn, hi!” Eve changed her tone of voice as she attempted to pull the dress on and pull up the back zipper. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Is everything alright? I’ve been informed that you’ve arrived at the Hotels in one piece.”

“Everything is fine.” Eve lied as she adjusted the sleeves of the dress. MI6 always tracked them from London through their phones and credit transactions. “Just a small mix-up with the suitcases. Nothing life altering.”

“Right.” Carolyn was unfazed. “I’m just calling to give you an update. Apparently Sigmund Jacobsson has claimed a sudden bout of sickness and will not be present at the after party this evening. Not surprising in Stockholm, pickled herring never agreed with me personally.”

“What about the other one, his brother?” Eve asked. 

“Johan is still set to attend tonight with his wife. We’ve received no update as of now but both have checked in and are staying at the same Hotel as Villanelle. Get what we need from the convention center from Johan as planned, but then it’s up to you to collect the rest.”

“How exactly?” Eve asked. 

“You two are more than capable of coming up with something.”

“Of course.” Eve said as she nearly dropped the phone. “Thank you, Carolyn.” The line went dead and Eve quickly redialed Villanelle’s number only to get the voicemail again.

 _Do we really wear that similar of sizes?_ Eve thought to herself as she slid on a pair of simple black heels that were a little on the tall side but comfortable nonetheless. She rushed around the bathroom, digging into the bag of cosmetics that Villanelle had packed, darkening her eye makeup, applying lipstick, and finishing off the look by pulling her hair back into a loose, low ponytail that still allowed some of her curls to go wild.

 _What else am I missing?_ She thought to herself as she slipped on the earrings that had a microphone planted in them and grabbed a clutch that now held an earpiece, two replacement cards for the targets, and Amelia DuBlanc’s credentials. Eve would have to thank whoever was in charge of forging documents for not including an identification image on the membership pass.

The final touch was one Eve didn’t necessarily need but couldn’t resist. A bottle of perfume was carefully packed in the side zipper of the suitcase. She lifted the cap and inhaled the scent which was lighter and more floral than the others Eve associated with Villanelle. As she sprayed it on both of her wrists and even her neck for good measure, the scent still swirled around her brain and sent a chill down her spine all the same. Villanelle would always be the embodiment of intoxicating luxury in Eve’s mind.

She finally caught a glance of her finished look in the mirror. 

The dress she was wearing was made of a smooth black velvet and had a high sequined collar. It came to about mid calf but fit the rest of her like a glove. She rolled her shoulders back and ran her hands down the sides of the dress. If the circumstances were different, Eve might actually have enjoyed this a little more, she felt attractive and most certainly looked the part of a wealthy investor. Now Eve just hoped her three years of high school French turned insomnia induced Duolingo practice would be enough to get her through the evening. Why had Villanelle insisted that she be French?

“Je voudrais acheter une pomme.” Eve said to herself as she grabbed her room key. It was the only French phrase that came to mind at the present. Perhaps she’ll just have to do a lot of meaningful glaring instead and bait others along to do the talking. It was a technology convention, it would be brimming with wealthy men who never missed an opportunity to size each other up with their knowledge on digital infrastructure and data analytics. How hard could it be? She checked the time. _Shit!_

The walk, well sprint almost, to the convention was short-lived but the chill in the air was enough to invigorate Eve as she flipped on her earpiece. She heard the tell tale crackling of it coming to life as she settled it in her ear comfortably. She hummed a short tune as instructed to calibrate the system but heard nothing else on the opposite end of the line. 

‘Quartermaster’ Nigel made improvements to the system so that the earpiece now freely recorded and received both ways without interference. Villanelle had attempted to press him for more specific information of mic sensitivity.

_"You can hear everything?"_

_"Everything."_

_"Did you hear that, Eve? Everything.”_

Villanelle had given her a deliberate raise of the eyebrows but Nigel’s look of disdain was enough to quell any other questions. 

Eve was thankful. 

Villanelle secretly still wanted a watch with a laser in it.

As Eve entered, the convention’s after party was like walking into what she could only describe as a luxury spaceship. The black marble of the floor shone back the brilliant silver and blue lighting shining on prototypes of robotics and cars, large LED screens flashed high in the air behind them with company names and concept art. Countless men in suits and ties walked around with pints of beer or flutes of champagne either admiring the displays or deep in small talk.

“I’m in.” Eve said in a low tone as she scanned the room for a sign of Villanelle, Eve checked the time on her phone again. “Where are you?” She asked but only heard silence on the other end of the line. She slid on her membership lanyard. No going back now. 

“Välkommen!” A young Swedish man dressed in a plain navy blue suit greeted as Eve approached the entrance to the membership lounge. She was quick to keep her face low to avoid the camera set up above them. 

“Bonsoir.” Eve offered her membership pass, trying her very best to seem disinterested as she searched through her clutch as if trying to find her phone.

He scanned it with a handheld device and referenced the name placard on her lanyard. “You are Amelia DuBlanc, yes?” 

“Oui, bien sûr.” Eve said as she narrowed her eyes in contempt. “Is there a problem?” She asked in her best French dialect which sounded like she was a little on the tipsy side. It must have worked because the man practically stumbled to move the rope stanchion to let her in.

“No! I-” He gave a naive smile and a shrug of his shoulders as he looked at her. “I’m-- ” She cocked her brow and the man immediately stuttered. “Your hair… It is amazing.” 

Eve looked him up and down, giving him an all knowing smirk as she walked past. “Merci petit poulet.” She cooed, noticing the shade of red his ears turned. Eve was impressed with herself but the sudden voice in her earpiece cut the feeling of pride short. 

“Did you just call someone a tiny chicken?” Villanelle asked incredulously. 

“You’re late.” Eve scolded under her breath. 

“I had to charge my camera. I take my photography job very seriously.” Eve could hear various clicks now coming from the earpiece. Villanelle was here. “Since when do you speak French?”

“You’re not the only interesting one, _Jane_.” Eve whispered as she scanned the lounge. She would never tell Villanelle that she only ever spoke french to her chicken. “God, I can’t believe this.” Eve was careful to keep her expression neutral as she greeted people with nods and smiles as she walked past. “Did you do this on pur--”

“Champagne?” A waiter with a tray said as he came up behind Eve.

“Merci.” She gratefully obliged and took a sip, nearly choking when Villanelle’s voice dropped low.

“What are you wearing?” 

Eve didn’t have time to allow the innuendo in Villanelle’s voice to settle because at the same moment her eyes locked on their target. “First one's here. Membership lounge, far left.” 

“On my way.” 

Johan Jacobsson stood next to the bar laughing gaily with his arm around the shoulders of a very bored looking woman, Eve recognized her as his wife Frida. He was in his early thirties but his hairline had receded far beyond his years. His younger brother Sigmund, the other target, was far more attractive from the pictures. As she countered to a lone cocktail table, Eve assessed her plan. She could see his company badge hidden beneath the convention membership lanyard, the familiar bright yellow and blue logo catching her eye. 

A memory came to mind of the last time she and Niko redecorated their house. Assembling a bookshelf together threatened to derail their marriage faster than Eve had over the past year and a half. How could this corporation be linked to The Twelve aside from their cryptic instruction manuals? “I wonder if they give you-know-who a family discount.” Eve wondered aloud quietly. 

“They don’t.” Villanelle replied plainly. 

“I'm sorry. I can’t let you through without a badge, Miss. This is the membership only lounge.” Eve heard another voice through Villanelle’s microphone and casually glanced back to the entrance to the lounge where the young man was blocking the entrance of a young woman.

“But the convention hired me to take photographs of everyone, including those with a membership.” Villanelle replied politely in her best received pronunciation. 

Eve got closer and finally recognized her. Villanelle was wearing a subtle red wig pulled half up with a pair of tortoise shell rimmed glasses. She wore Eve's textured white sweater with the cuffs rolled up onto the black blazer over top to cover the length of the arms. Eve also noticed that the plaid pants were a little short on her as well, fixed by a simple cuff and a pair of smart black loafers. The best thing that she wore, however, was a stunned expression at the sight of Eve. 

“Jane! Te volià!” Eve’s voice startled the young man barring Villanelle’s entrance to the lounge. “Je t’ai cherché partout.” She huffed and crossed her arms at her, feigning disappointment. Eve turned to the young man who let her in earlier and brushed a little close to him as she reached out to grab Villanelle’s arm and pull her into the lounge. “She's with me...” The young man nodded and his ears went red again. 

“Pardon.” Villanelle squeaked out as she passed the man and followed Eve into the lounge. “So that’s what you’re wearing…” Her voice was dripping with approval.

“You’re welcome by the way." She glanced over at Villanelle who was still staring. 

“Thank you...” Villanelle looked Eve up and down.

“I meant for--Nevermind! Let’s just get the card and get the hell out of here. There’s been a change in plans.” Eve pulled the replacement out of her clutch and palmed it. “You’re lucky I read your file…”She downed the contents of the champagne glass as she approached the bar, settling to the left of Johan and his wife. Villanelle hung a right to start collecting photographs of everyone there. 

“Act like you’re drunk when I come to take your picture.” Villanelle instructed through the earpiece. “It works every time.” 

“What? Really?” She whispered.

“Trust me. He'll let you get closer that way.” More clicks sounded in her ear as she watched the flash of Villanelle’s camera out of the corner of her eye. She was getting closer. All Eve had to do was slip the company badge out of the holder and slide the replacement in during the few photos that Villanelle would be taking. 

“Good evening! Photograph for the event?” Villanelle asked brightly.

“Of course!” Johan said and pulled his reluctant wife in to pose next to him.

“Excuse me, Madam? You too!” Villanelle asked Eve who was standing behind them in hesitation. She motioned for Eve to step in next to Johan.

“Oui, bien sûr!” Eve called out in her best inebriated French and swayed towards them, leaning into Johan’s side who eagerly wrapped an arm around Eve. Villanelle watched as Eve placed her hand on his chest over his badge. “Bonsoir, monsieur. Enchanté!" She cooed in his ear playfully as she began to work the card out of it’s holder, his suit jacket masking the movement. Thankfully Villanelle took several pictures at once so the flash distracted as Eve slipped the card out easily. Trouble came as she tried replacing it with the duplicate and his real card slipped out of her grasp and fell to the floor. Eve immediately grabbed his lapels and turned him to look at her, giving Villanelle a window to step forward and cover it with her shoe. “Ah…Tu resembles à...un orteil!” She looked at his wife and reached a hand over to grab her arm, pulling her close as well giving Villanelle clearance to bend down and pick up the card. “Vous aussi!” Eve winked for good measure, silently screaming at herself for not allowing the Duolingo notifications to shame her into practicing more.

“These shots look lovely, thank you!” Eve turned to see Villanelle looking at Johan and Frida with a subtle laugh and a pat to her trouser pocket. She then looked at Eve who was still leaning on Johan, concern behind her beautiful eyes. “Are you alright, Madam?” Eve took the hint and grimaced, swaying on her feet a little. 

“She’s obviously had one too many… Good for her!” Johan offered, turning to his wife who looked furious at Eve. 

"Is she here with someone?" Frida said, her accent thick. She was obviously eager to get Eve out of their hair and off of her husband. 

"Un autre verre, s'il vous plaît!" Eve held up her hand to the bartender at the opposite end of the bar. She was running out of phrases in French quickly so she shot a glance at Villanelle to intercede. 

“How about I escort her to the ladies, yes?” Villanelle offered, much to the delight of everyone involved. “Come along, Miss. It’s just this way...” She grabbed Eve’s arm and they swiftly left the lounge, walked out of the main room, and down one of the long hallways of the convention center where there were no guests dwindling. 

“You know, he did look like a toe.” Villanelle tried to hide her amused expression. 

“That’s all I could think of.” Eve said defensively. “I don’t know a lot of French.”

When they were out of view, Villanelle finally released Eve’s arm but stayed close. "Your French is actually not bad."

"You have it, right?" Eve asked, looking at Villanelle expectantly. 

"Yes, of course." She patted the front pocket of her trousers where the card was pressed snug inside of the tight material at her hips. Eve didn’t let her eyes linger at how well Villanelle filled out her pants. 

"Good. We need to go back to your Hotel now." Eve said they turned a corner, following the signs for an exit. 

"You mean you're not going to buy me dinner first?" Eve stopped in her tracks causing Villanelle to bump into her. 

"Will you get your head out of the gutter and focus? The younger brother claimed sickness and is staying at the same Hotel as you. We need to find him."

“Well can I at least change first? This sweater looks like a sad sheep. Though,” She raised a hand and brushed her fingers over the material of Eve’s upper arm. “I do like this dress a lot more now than when I picked it out." 

“Yeah? Well take a picture, it will last you longer.” Eve retorted, kicking herself when Villanelle brought the camera up to her face and the flash blinded her. Villanelle grinned, Eve just turned and kept walking towards the exit.

“I’m never dressing up like this ever again.” Eve lied poorly, wishing she’d sounded more convincing. “Should I even ask where you got a wig from?”

“Don’t worry about it." Villanelle said as she opened the door for Eve. “I really do hate this sweater.” She said as the chill of the night enveloped them.

"It’s not my fault you’re dressed like that.” Eve pointed out. As she walked ahead, she threw a glance over her shoulder to Villanelle and gave a cocky smile. “You look cute by the way." 

Villanelle’s eyes sparkled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the reference for [Villanelle's Photographer Look](https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/sandra-oh-attends-the-starring-by-ted-gibson-salon-opening-on-april-picture-id1141854266?s=612x612) and [Eve's Dress](https://imagesvc.meredithcorp.io/v3/mm/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.onecms.io%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F14%2F2019%2F03%2F11%2Fsandra-oh-04-2000.jpg)!!
> 
> I hope you guys like my crazy idea. I've got Chapter 2 well underway, hoping to post it within the next week or so if I can. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! Drop a comment and let me know what you think and as always you can find me on Tumblr: allsoulsnight.


	2. Slip of the tongue?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second part of Eve and Villanelle's intel mission.

They walked along the outside of the convention center, passing guests of the event, and joining the bustle of pedestrians. Stockholm's downtown nightlife was in full swing. Villanelle stayed close to Eve’s side, her eyes calmly scanning their surroundings. Suddenly, as they passed an empty alleyway, she pulled Eve in and pressed her back against the brick wall closest to them. 

Eve gasped and looked back at the street. "What's wrong?"

Villanelle didn’t say anything but peered around the corner and then looked back. “I thought I saw someone.” A small curve at the corner of her mouth gave her cool composure a suave flair. “False alarm.” She then leaned on her hand by Eve’s head, her brow furrowing at Eve's blank expression. “What?” She asked defensively.

“Don’t scare me like that.” Eve said and then slid out from the wall and walked a little ways down the alleyway. “I’m glad we stopped, though. We need a plan.”

“No, we don’t.” Villanelle sighed.

“Yes, we do.” Eve mocked her voice back as she pulled out her phone from her clutch, dialing a number in her contacts. 

“ _ Hello? _ ”

“Dante. I need a favor if you can.” Dante was their newly appointed computer guru. “Can you hack the Hotel’s database and find out what room Sigmund Jacobsson is in?”

“ _ Yeah, one second. Should be simple enough. _ ” 

“Thank you.” Eve turned to find Villanelle leaning very close by to hear into the phone as well. Eve did a double take not realizing at first that Villanelle had ditched the wig and was pulling her hair into a ponytail instead. Eve secretly liked that the glasses remained. 

“ _ He’s on the second to top floor of the Hotel, room number 803A. The last key card swipe was around 6pm. _ ”

“What about the CCTV?” Villanelle asked impatiently, tugging on the neck of her sweater and pulling out the small circular microphone piece hidden there.

“I'm getting there!” Eve said as Villanelle unceremoniously dropped the microphone and her earpiece into the open clutch. “Thank you, Dante. One more thing. Do you have access to the Hotel CCTV?” 

A man opened a door at the end of the alleyway with a bag of trash in hand, his whistling echoing off the walls. Villanelle immediately reached out and grabbed Eve’s elbow as she spoke, guiding them back out of the alleyway. They could never be too safe. 

“ _ Let me check. _ ” Dante paused for a moment and then cleared his throat. “ _ I do but it’s limited. _ ”

“Can you turn them off?” Eve asked. 

“ _ No, not from here. But I can jumble the coding and cause a temporary blackout on recording. _ ”

“How long will that give us?” Eve looked up to see that they were already close to the Hotel. 

“ _ Twenty minutes at the most. _ ”

“That will be enough time.” Villanelle said confidently, again leaning so close to Eve's ear to eavesdrop on the conversation that their shoulders bumped together. 

“ _ Are you sure? _ ” Dante questioned, hearing Villanelle in the background.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Villanelle replied for Eve who was about to protest. "Trust me." 

The weight of the request hung in the air for a moment. Villanelle's eyes were wide and earnest, Eve simply sighed. 

“Go ahead, Dante.” Eve replied. 

“ _ Done. I’ll shoot you a text before and when it goes back online. Good luck. _ ” The line went dead just as Eve and Villanelle walked up to the Hotel and entered the beautifully decorated lobby. 

"This better work." Eve warned in a whisper.

A portly bellhop greeted them as they walked up to the elevator. “Ah, welcome back, Madam DuBlanc!”

“Merci-” 

“Bonsoir-”

Both women spoke at the same time, causing the man to look over at Eve questioningly.

“Bjorn!” Villanelle was quick to wrap her hand around the man’s shoulders as if she’d known him forever and turn back towards Eve. “This is my wife.” She said proudly, her posh French dialect back effortlessly. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

“Oh, ja! Very beautiful!” He looked to Eve with a smile behind his bushy beard and then turned back to Villanelle to give her a thumbs up. “A pleasure to have you here as well, Madam.” He said to Eve.

Thankfully the elevator arrived with its telltale ‘ _ Ding!’  _

Villanelle patted him on the shoulder and adjusted his jacket from where she’d knocked it askew. She then wrapped an arm around Eve’s waist, a little lower than should be acceptable, and pulled her in close as they boarded the elevator. Villanelle punched a floor number and wiggled her eyebrows at Bjorn as the door closed. 

“Good save.” Eve said as if she wasn’t to blame. Villanelle dropped her hand but didn't move away. “But we need to get a key to open his room.”

“Like this one?” Villanelle asked, holding up a badge that had Bjorn’s jovial face on it. All bellhops had master keys to Hotel rooms. 

“How did you--” Eve’s mouth dropped almost to the floor. 

Villanelle just smiled. Eve hadn’t seen the sleight of hand and Bjorn was surely none the wiser. 

Little moments like this always struck and elated Eve. It reminded her that her obsession with Villanelle's skills hadn't diminished with them working together closely and without the immediate fear for her life clouding her mind. However it did tend to slip out when things were going really, really well. “Oh, I could kiss you!” It was out of her mouth before Eve could help herself. Villanelle didn’t reply but her eyes lowered to Eve’s lips and back up to her eyes. “It’s just an expression.” Eve offered, embarrassed by yet another thing they hadn’t talked about since it happened. The thought and Villanelle’s closer-than-usual proximity all evening made Eve’s chest tighten. The elevator was beginning to feel a little too small.

"Is it, though?" 

‘ _ Ding! _ ’

_ Thank goodness.  _ Eve blinked and promptly stepped out of the elevator, breaking the tension of the moment. She began looking down the hall at the numbers on the doors. “308A… 308A… This way!” 

Once they found the door, Villanelle handed over her camera and urged Eve over to the side out of view to conceal her. She inserted the master key to the door and gave a small knock as she opened it. “Hallo? Housekeeping! Hushållning… ” She called out and disappeared into the room, she'd clicked the lock out propping the door slightly ajar. 

Eve listened and waited, her eyes constantly darting between the door and the elevator. What if he was in there and Villanelle just walked right in? Why did she take her earpiece out! Eve inched closer and closer to the door as anxiety began to get the better of her, it hadn’t even been a whole minute yet. She nearly jumped when Villanelle popped her head out. 

“He’s not here. But…” She held up the identical twin of the other target’s company card hanging from the convention's branded lanyard. “Look what I found!”

“What? Already?” Eve looked at the card and then to her face.  _ There was no way that-- _

“They always leave things they shouldn’t on the nightstand.” She said with a dismissive whine as she pulled it out and fanned herself with it. "It’s almost too easy." She slid the card in her trouser pocket with the other from earlier.

Eve fished around her clutch for the secondary duplicate and gave it to Villanelle who replaced it on the lanyard. “Well, go put it back in its place!” 

“Where are your manners?”

Eve rolled her eyes. “Please?” 

"You're so bossy, today!" Villanelle teased. “Just because we’re married doesn’t mean--” 

"Just go! We don't have time for this." Villanelle took the card with a grin and disappeared into the room again. Eve then took out the earpiece from her own ear and tucked it in her clutch. As she reached to remove her microphone earring the elevator at the end of the hall chimed suddenly

_ ‘Ding!’ _

Eve froze as the doors opened to reveal a man in a business suit fixing his hair in the mirrored wall of the elevator. 

“Shit!” Eve jumped forward into the room and eased the door closed behind her as quickly and quietly as she could. Eve ran into the large living space. “Villanelle!” Eve whispered into the quiet space just as she rounded the corner. She almost ran headfirst into her as she emerged from what Eve assumed was the master bedroom. 

"What's wrong?" Villanelle asked.

“He’s coming! Sigmund!" Eve said, growing more anxious by the moment. 

Villanelle, the picture of calm and collected, quickly looked around the room for somewhere to hide. Eve froze in place as she heard the Hotel room door unlock with a beep. 

“Eve!" Villanelle hissed as she pulled Eve down with her into the space between the couch and the back wall of the room. They landed with a dull thud and Villanelle’s hand covered Eve’s mouth instinctively. The camera and clutch dug into Villanelle’s side uncomfortably.

The lights in the room clicked on and they could hear footsteps and a deep voice talking in Swedish. They both craned her necks to listen to what sounded like a phone call. The footsteps got closer to the couch and Eve jumped as it suddenly scooted back towards them an inch as it sunk under the pressure of the person sitting down. Villanelle shook her head and pressed a finger to her own lips. 

“Adjö, Mamma... Adjö!” He made a few kissy noises and there was a thunk as what Eve gathered to be his phone landed on the side table. Thankfully the television clicked on, casting a bluish hue on the wall beside them and a background murmur of adverts. 

Neither dared move an inch. 

They stayed that way for a while before Villanelle eventually, albeit slowly, removed her hand from covering Eve’s mouth. The television masked the soft sound of Eve’s inhale when Villanelle adjusted slightly to relieve the discomfort in her side from the camera digging in.

The way they landed was unfortunate because one of Villanelle’s legs was wedged between Eve’s own and her dress had ridden up her thighs. Their chests were pressed together with Eve barely holding herself up with one hand on either side of Villanelle’s head. Their faces were close enough that their noses brushed. Eve’s mind went to their encounter in London on the bus as they stared at one another and she could feel her own heart pounding wildly in her chest… Was it just hers? She wondered if Villanelle was thinking of it, too. 

It took every ounce of control to stop the gasp that threatened to rip its way out of Eve’s throat when Villanelle leaned upwards and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Eve’s brain went fuzzy for a moment before trying to pull away but Villanelle just leaned forward more, deepening the kiss.

_ God, yes! But no! Not now.  _ Eve thought and her hand moved quickly to Villanelle’s neck and pressed her back down to the floor to stop the kiss. Another unfortunate move because when they made eye contact, Villanelle’s chest heaved and she pressed her leg upwards in between Eve’s legs in just the right spot. Before she could stop herself, Eve's hips rolled back onto the thigh and her grip tightened ever so slightly on Villanelle's neck. A hand slid up and grabbed at the smooth skin of Eve’s inner thigh causing her dress to bunch up higher than it had already. When Villanelle gave a sultry smile up at her, Eve lost any semblance of control and pulled their lips back together.  _ Fuck it!  _ As Eve took Villanelle’s bottom lip between her teeth and tugged, Villanelle raked her nails down the tops of Eve’s thighs. 

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door of the suite and the two parted immediately. The reality of their predicament crashed back over them, returning Eve to high alert. Her heart continued to pound in her chest. 

The couch shifted again as the man stood and footsteps clicked against the tile towards the door. After it opened they heard a woman’s voice tease in Swedish. This earned a suggestive sounding reply from the man and not a moment later the door slammed shut and a few very sloppy smacking sounds were heard. The woman gave a breathy gasp as they heard what they assumed was a belt unbuckle and something falling to the ground. The man chuckled low and growled earning a giggle from the woman who meowed back like a kitten. Eve and Villanelle both furrowed their brow in disgust simultaneously. A shuffling of feet was heard towards the opposite side of the room and a door slammed shut masking various gasps and sighs.

“Follow me.” Villanelle whispered as she pushed Eve up and off of her, peaking over the side of the couch to make sure that the door was in fact closed. “Come on!” Villanelle stood and Eve grabbed their things from the ground, hoping that her focus and train of thought would follow suit.

As quietly as they could, they crept across the room and past the door where various grunts and moans were beginning to come through the other side. Eve hopped over a dress that she could swear looked familiar, trying to keep her steps light in her own heels. Villanelle quietly opened the Hotel room door and then slipped it shut as Eve ran ahead to call the elevator which, fortunately, opened immediately. 

Villanelle hit the button for the fourth floor. Eve’s phone chimed in her clutch, she pulled it out and read the incoming text.

**Dante: ‘One minute left.’**

“Shit! We have one minute left.” Eve said and reached over to hit the indicator several more times as if it would make the elevator go any faster.

Villanelle fished in her pocket and found her own Hotel room key amongst the other three cards she was in possession of. She deliberately dropped Bjorn’s master key on the floor of the elevator and grabbed Eve’s hand as the doors opened again, pulling her along. 

Eve’s phone buzzed again just as Villanelle’s hotel room door closed safely behind them. 

**Dante: ‘CCTV back online.’**

Eve gave a huge sigh of relief as she collapsed against the door. 

“See? We had plenty of time.” Villanelle said as she pulled the cards out of her pocket and walked into the room. She pulled the MI6 issued laptop out of Eve’s suitcase and opened it, typing in several passwords and sliding both cards into secret slots on the side. The screen suddenly filled with coding and then returned back to normal as Eve dialed Carolyn’s number.

“ _ Go ahead. _ ” 

“It's done!” Eve said proudly, eying the screen from over Villanelle's shoulder.

“ _ Splendid. I’ll see you both tomorrow afternoon. Good work. _ ” Despite her tone, Eve knew Carolyn was proud. The call ended and Eve let out the breath she'd been holding. A laugh bubbled out of her chest. 

"What's so funny?" Villanelle asked as she closed the lid of the laptop and turned around to sit on the corner of the bed. She took off the glasses and tucked them into the inside pocket of the blazer.

"Just…" Eve couldn’t find the words to describe it. The whole evening was unbelievable and the more she tried to sort through it, the more she wanted to laugh in disbelief. She did again, louder this time. At Villanelle’s questioning brow, Eve went with the most uncomplicated thought she could find. “Of course the head of a big company would skip out of an event to get laid.”

“It happens more often than you think.” Villanelle said with a shake of her head. “And with his brother’s wife, no less.” She stood and adjusted her blazer. 

Eve looked at Villanelle with wide eyes. “Johan’s wife?” Eve remembered the discarded garments on the floor of the Hotel room and realization struck. “I thought I recognized the dress! Oh my god! ” Villanelle laughed at Eve’s stunned expression and they both broke out into laughter this time. 

“You’re getting better at this.” Villanelle said simply, her lips curved into a beautiful smile. “I’m proud of you.” 

The air thickened at the compliment. Eve’s smile faded as her mind went to what she’d not yet processed fully and she caught a glimpse of herself in the floor length mirror that faced the room. She only noticed now that her lipstick was smudged and her hair was askew. Faced with the evidence of another impulsive encounter with Villanelle, she only wished the floor would move just as the bus did and whisk her away from the aftermath. 

“I...um.” Eve started but stopped her thought which had not fully formed. “Thank you.” That’s all she could think to say as she tried to surreptitiously wipe away the lipstick without Villanelle realizing. 

Why was this so hard for Eve? Everything she wanted was caked in layers of 'what if's?' She constantly teetered along the edge of a precipice, desperately trying to regain her balance when she began to fall too far forward. Eve was never a creature of such simple desires and as a result she was becoming impulsive. It was bound to catch up to her eventually, Eve wished that she could relinquish the last of her self control. If ever there would be a time for it, it would be now. 

“But,” Villanelle spoke softly as she stepped close behind her, “You know you think too much.” She’d seen the movement and was now looking at her own reflection in the mirror over Eve’s shoulder. 

“That’s the understatement of the year.” Eve smiled and shook her head in agreeance but steeled herself from moving away from the mirror. “I do, yes.”

“Then stop.” Villanelle said plainly, as if it were the easiest thing in the world. “Ce n’est pas la mer à boire.” It was an old French saying. “It’s not that difficult. Just stop.” Villanelle translated. 

“It’s not so simple for me...” Eve went silent when Villanelle reached out and gently took the band out of Eve’s hair and let her hair down. Her fingertips trailed the nape of her neck and ran through wild curls, spreading them out over her shoulders. Eve’s eyes slipped shut of their own accord and she sighed. 

A small, yet satisfactory huff was heard from behind her. "It's not?" Eve’s eyes opened again catching hazel in the mirror, her gaze was steady but unreadable. Villanelle spoke after a long moment. “We  _ can _ talk about it if you-”

“Unzip my dress.”

And Villanelle didn’t need to be told twice as her hands found the zipper, pulled it down and slid the dress halfway down Eve’s shoulders revealing the smooth expanse of her shoulder blades and back. The thin scar off of Eve’s left shoulder caught Villanelle’s eye and recognition flashed across her face. Villanelle leaned forward and gently kissed the skin. Chills crept down Eve’s spine when she ran her tongue along the scar.

Eve turned and pulled Villanelle’s lips to her own. It was hungry and messy and enthusiastic and Eve needed to slow down because her lips and teeth were moving down Villanelle’s neck as her hands pushed Villanelle’s, well her own, blazer off and onto the floor. A wince was heard. 

“That hurt.” Villanelle whispered, she brought her fingertips up to the spot where Eve had bit down.

“So did the bullet.” Eve challenged.

“And the knife didn’t?” Villanelle countered with an arched brow. 

Eve pulled the material of her sweater up and over Villanelle’s head. She then splayed her hand over her hip and traced Villanelle's scar with the pad of her thumb. She looked to the scar and then up at Villanelle with wide eyes. “We are even then." 

Their lips crashed together again, fervent and rushed so much so that their teeth knocked accidentally. Eve pulled her arms out of her dress after a momentary struggle and shimmied out of it completely. She kicked it away with her heel when they parted for air, Villanelle’s eyes cast downward at Eve’s body and she inhaled sharply. 

The sight of Eve in nothing but her own lace undergarments and heels drove Villanelle insane with desire. She gave Eve no time to feel self conscious because her hands began to greedily explore the newly revealed skin. She lavished Eve’s collarbones with kisses and swipes of her tongue as her hands slid under the bralette, pushing it up, and over Eve’s head. 

“Oh…” Eve gave a small moan as Villanelle’s tongue circled her nipple and pulled it into her mouth. She pressed her head back into the mirror and her deep inhale pushed her chest farther into Villanelle’s mouth. She gripped the tops of Villanelle’s shoulders and closed her eyes.  _ This is happening. This is happening. This is happe-- _

_ Buzz!!  _

Eve’s phone chimed from it’s home on the table beside the mirror. She ignored it as Villanelle kissed over to her other breast, lavishing it the same attention. 

_ Buzz!!  _

Eve huffed and looked down at her phone and read the text messages on the lock screen. They were from Dante in all caps. 

“Oh my god.” Eve’s eyes went wide and her face reddened. 

“What?” Villanelle pulled back.

Without a word, Eve reached up and removed her right earring that had the microphone built into it. She turned it off and set it down on the table and then did the same with the left. When she was done, she looked up at Villanelle mortified. 

Villanelle bit her lip and just grinned. “Good thing we caught it now, rather than later...” She said, her hands running over her hips and around to the lace covering her backside. "The perfume was a nice touch by the way.” Villanelle inhaled deeply as she peppered kisses down the column of Eve’s throat. Eve was beginning to think again. “Shall I stop?”

“Like hell!”  Eve said honestly and that was all Villanelle needed before grabbing Eve’s hips and pulled them both to the bed. 

As Eve laid back, Villanelle urged her legs apart with her hips and kissed her way back down her chest then further down. A small click was heard and Eve looked down to see a knife in Villanelle’s hand, seemingly from the pocket of the trousers she was still wearing. Gently she trailed it down Eve’s hip with gleaming eyes and pulled the lace material of her underwear up. “I like you in lace.” At that she cut the underwear in two and tugged it away. 

“Really?” Eve chastised as if the sense of danger didn’t send a chill down her spine and warmth between her legs. Things were different between them but, “A knife?”

“I couldn’t resist, for old time’s sake.” Villanelle said, closing the knife and throwing it across the room. Violence was out of sight and out of mind as Villanelle settled down between Eve’s legs. “It’s okay, I know what I’m doing.” Then her mouth became quite busy and Eve couldn’t form coherent thoughts if she tried. 

It should have been embarrassing how quickly Eve was unraveling at the feeling of Villanelle’s fingers inside of her and her tongue expertly coaxing the pleasure out of her. Villanelle must have sensed that because she slowed and began to take her time, her tongue teasing around where Eve needed her most. 

“Look at me, Eve.” Villanelle ordered, her voice low and sultry. When Eve opened her eyes and looked down, the sight of Villanelle between her legs almost sent her over the edge. When their eyes locked, Villanelle’s fingers curled upwards and her tongue flicked repeatedly over her clit. Eve’s soft moans and inhales grew louder as her pleasure began to peak again quickly.

“Villanelle!” When her legs began to shake, Eve gasped and reached for Villanelle. “Kiss me.”

Villanelle acquiesced, replacing her tongue with her thumb, and moving up to Eve’s lips. She could taste herself on Villanelle’s tongue. Paired with Villanelle’s hand between her legs, it made her brain short circuit.

“Fuck!” Eve threw her head back and began falling over the edge in what felt like slow motion. Villanelle’s fingers slowed but continued placing gentle kisses along her jaw, easing Eve’s free fall back to Earth. 

“I’m glad I’m the only one who heard that.” Villanelle said softly. “Beautiful.” Eve silenced her with a kiss. 

They lay there for a long moment, locked in each other’s embrace before  Eve pushed Villanelle onto her back and found the button of her trousers, tugging them off of Villanelle.

“You don’t have to do that.” Villanelle said as Eve kissed down her stomach. 

“I know.” Eve said, running the tip of her tongue up the scar on her hip. “I want to.” 

“Do you want me to stop?” Eve asked as she pulled away.

Villanelle whined softly. “No...”

“Okay, then.” Eve pulled Villanelle’s underwear off slowly and gently pushed Villanelle’s legs apart, gazing down at the flush of her skin and the glistening between her thighs. 

“Am I really your first?” Villanelle’s question didn’t dignify an answer because Eve knew that Villanelle was attempting to use humor to mask the vulnerability she was probably feeling. 

She was Eve’s first but in truth, it didn’t matter, This was much more than just a simple one night stand and Eve, secretly, had been dreaming of this moment.

She reached out and ran her fingertips through Villanelle’s wetness, spreading her open, and simply admired the sight. Gently she circled Villanelle’s clit with her thumb and Villanelle let out a small huff. Eve gave a smile and circled again but this time with more pressure. She then leaned in close and kissed down Villanele’s inner thigh. She ghosted over her sex for a moment but pulled back to look back up at Villanelle.

Captive eyes followed her every move with an eager desire… It was a completely unrivaled experience for Eve . She could get used to holding this power over Villanelle. 

“Don’t tease me, Eve. I--”  She was cut off as Eve leaned forward and licked straight up her sex, replacing her thumb with her tongue. Villanelle exhaled and a hand tangled in Eve’s dark curls. 

Eve smiled against her and began to experiment with different strokes of her tongue, getting used to the act. Villanelle tasted  metallic and earthy. Expensive, almost, as Eve was reminded of velvet and silk. The feeling of it was divine, accentuated by the whimpers that Villanelle couldn’t subdue. She swirled her tongue in a circle, then up and down slowly. One particular flick of her tongue made Villanelle’s legs jolt so she did it again and again. After a few moments more  she looked up to see that Villanelle’s left hand was balled into the sheets and her eyes were shut tightly. 

“Look at me, Villanelle...” Eve whispered as she snaked her hand up to lace their fingers together. She bit her lip to keep the smug smile that almost graced her lips at Villanelle’s stunned expression. She returned to her ministrations in full, making sure to never take her eyes off of Villanelle’s. When her eyes slipped closed for a moment and a moan escaped, Eve stopped. The whine that ripped its way out of Villanelle’s throat would have been cute if she hadn’t also pulled on Eve’s hair a little too tightly. She would have apologized but Eve’s eyes smouldered and her tongue began again in earnest. Villanelle tugged again experimentally and Eve groaned against her, sending shockwaves through her sex. Villanelle tensed as her pleasure built closer to its peak.

“A little to the... To th…Ahh!!” Villanelle’s hips bucked as Eve’s tongue hit the right spot repeatedly in just the right way. She came with a high pitched “Eve!” that tapered into soft breathy whimpers at Eve’s slowing tongue. Eve eventually stilled and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. She crawled back up Villanelle’s body and into her arms, their lips connecting instantly. 

They laid for a long moment before Villanelle pulled back. “That was good for your first try.” She tucked a curl behind Eve’s ear and the corners of her lips turned upwards into a smile. As Villanelle leaned in to kiss her again, Eve’s stomach grumbled. They both gave soft laughs, expelling the tension in the air. 

“We should order room service.” 

“On the company card, Eve?” Villanelle replied with an over the top scandalized expression. 

“Like you care.” Eve shot back a smile over her shoulder as she reached for the menu that was on the nightstand. “What do you want?” She asked. 

Villanelle’s hand reached up and caressed the scar on Eve’s shoulder again, her touch featherlight. Eve turned to see the distant look in her eyes. She knew exactly what Villanelle was thinking. Without saying a word, Eve cupped Villanelle’s face with her hand and stroked her cheek. Something welled deep in Eve’s chest again as she pulled her close into an embrace. A silent understanding washed over them and the pace of the kiss quickened effortlessly once more.

They never got around to ordering. 

* * *

“Ah! You’re on time.” Carolyn said when Eve and Villanelle walked into the meeting room. “Good. We can start.” 

Eve took a seat and Villanelle did too, right next to her. Eve scooted her chair away to give them a little space. 

It was surprising that they’d made it on time because the pait almost missed their flight back to Heathrow. Not only had the two woken up late they still needed to retrieve Villanelle’s suitcase from the other Hotel.

“Just put on the outfit from yesterday.” Eve pleaded as she dressed quickly.

“I’m not wearing that sweater again, Eve.” Villanelle threatened. 

So not only were they running late, Eve now had to wait for Villanelle to change into one of her own outfits. One agonizingly turbulent flight later, here they sat, Villanelle looking immaculate in the frilly pink shirt and black trouser combo and Eve blessing the fact that she’d packed a sweater that hopefully covered all of the marks Villanelle left behind the night before. 

As Carolyn began reviewing the information that they’d successfully gathered, Eve took a look around at the others sitting at the table. Dante was the only one staring. When Eve caught his eye, he immediately looked over at Villanelle and back to Eve. He blinked, went a little red, and turned back to Carolyn. Villanelle gave a barely audible exhale that sounded like a laugh. 

_ Good. _ If Dante was the only one that heard, that was manageable for Eve. She adjusted the neck of her sweater unconsciously. She felt Villanelle’s fingertips caress the outside of her thigh and she immediately shot back a glare without moving her head. Villanelle just tilted her head more towards Carolyn and nodded thoughtfully. Eve finally had to push her away and cross her legs. 

Once Carolyn was done, she dismissed the group. “Except you two.” She motioned to Eve and Villanelle. “Stay.”

“Thank you, Dante.” Eve said as he walked past, her eyes trying to express the proper amount of gratitude. He just nodded and walked out.

Carolyn waited for a moment and sat down at the opposite end of the table. “As you are probably aware our next steps must be careful. I’m no longer sending you two out in the field unless absolutely necessary however pleased I am with the results of last evening's mission.”

Villanelle grinned and nodded her head in understanding. “Thank you, Carolyn. It did go well.” There was that smugness again. Carolyn nodded once and turned to Eve.

“You should be more sure of yourself, Eve. Not only are you perfectly capable, your lack of self assurance is beginning to get tiring. If you are going to commit to being an agent, carry yourself with the confidence of one.” Carolyn motioned with her hands to herself and Villanelle then crossed them in her lap. 

Eve furrowed her brow and looked at her for clarification. Carolyn took a moment and sighed as she removed her glasses. “There are moments in time when things just need a little push.” She placed them in her briefcase and closed it. “Your skill is often overshadowed by your own doubt. Take this little push as a lesson learned.”

“You switched the suitcases?” Eve asked incredulously. 

“A genius idea, really.” She stood and clicked her briefcase close. “I cannot claim, however, that I’d thought of it myself.” Carolyn said with a small glance to Villanelle beside her who was suddenly very interested in the piece of paper she was holding upside down. “I’m expecting much more from you now, Eve. Good work.” She stood and threw her coat over her arm.

“Oh and one last thing.” Carolyn added. “Please do try and disable your microphone next time. We don’t need anything on record that doesn’t pertain to the operation.”

“Carolyn, I--” Eve immediately began, hoping to explain at least one of the reaons she’d thought up as an excuse for what she’d most likely heard. 

Carolyn stopped her by raising her hand. “ No need to explain, Eve. It’s quite alright.” Eve closed her mouth and forced herself to hold Carolyn’s gaze. “I knew it was only a matter of time.” And with that she was gone. 

“She’s growing on me...” Villanelle said. “Carolyn is. Much better than Helene.” She shook her head mockingly at the name of her former boss. 

Eve turned to Villanelle. “Of course it was your idea.” 

Villanelle’s wide eyes looked as innocent as ever as she opened and closed her mouth, her shoulders raising. “Slip of the tongue?” She smiled as apologetically as she could.

“Unbelievable.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reference to [Villanelle's pink shirt ensemble](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/01/07/14/23006382-7853365-Fashion_The_actress_looked_nothing_short_of_sensational_as_she_d-a-7_1578407195540.jpg) and [Eve's sweater](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/80a85d7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1600x900+0+0/resize/840x473!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F81%2F17%2Fc023a06d65409762baec96731cc3%2Fla-ca-cm-conversation-sandra-oh-20160417-002).
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please let me know your thoughts/if you liked the chapter in the comments. I'm always looking for feedback and each comment/kudo makes me smile.
> 
> If you have any ideas/writing prompts for further chapters of this story (or any Villaneve one shots ideas for that matter) slide on over to my Tumblr: allsoulsnight. I plan on participating in Killing Eve week in full so keep an eye out!


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